1 Apr 2010

Call for Tonga government to resign over Ashika sinking

2:45 pm on 1 April 2010

A pro-democracy MP in Tonga is calling on the government to resign following the Royal Commission's report into the sinking of the Princess Ashika.

The Royal Commission of Inquiry presented its report to the King of Tonga and the country's Privy Council yesterday.

It found that there was a systematic failure by the Government in buying a boat that was unseaworthy.

Akilisi Pohiva, the number one People's Representative on Tongatapu, says the report implicated all the government's ministers and they should go

"The three ministers who were involved in the process of decision-making were the prime minister, the minister of finance and the minister of transport. So, I have no doubt in my mind the right thing to do is for them to resign."

Akilisi Pohiva says other ministers should also resign because they were involved in the decision to purchase the ferry.